Matlab readtable text

Matlab’s readtable() function cannot be manually told the spreadsheet column data format. The 'Format' '%s %f' option ONLY applies to text files.

Fix the spreadsheet (.xls, .ods) where an all-numeric column is being read as text in cells:

  1. highlight that entire column
  2. select Format Cells, Number.

Microsoft Excel has a green alert triangle if a number is stored as text.

Note: it is permissible to have the first row of an all-numeric column be a text header.